Letter from the Editor: Trek or treat?

The challenge was a sponsored 8-kilometer hike across the South Downs, one of the most scenic parts of the United Kingdom.

Featuring chalk hills and Saxon burial mounds, it was the perfect setting for a Halloween hike.

Though there was a biting chill in the air, the walk was enjoyable, made extra special by the cows and horses we passed en route.

Most importantly, we raised more than $950 for Children in Need, a charity that funds more than 2,400 projects to help disadvantaged children and young adults across the U.K.

That feeling as we reached the end of our hike was second to none; the feeling that what we had achieved would really help people. It’s the same proud feeling we get with every piece of content we produce.

So, which of our articles have you been enjoying most this month? It seems you’re brushing the Halloween candy to one side in favor of a healthier lifestyle; our article on the most healthful vegetables proved popular in October, as did our article on how to lose belly fat.

You were also interested to learn about the causes of swollen feet, as well as whether it’s possible to take too much magnesium.

Within our news content, our article on a study that uncovered a new role for fat in the development of diabetes piqued your curiosity, and you were intrigued by a study that linked an apple compound with delayed aging. What a great excuse to get apple bobbing!

In our quest to bring you the latest news in medical research, MNT attended the London Microbiome Meeting last week.

There, some of the top researchers in the U.K. presented the results of their work, which primarily investigated how the abundance of microorganisms throughout the human body impacts our health.

Our Assistant News Editor summarizes one of the many interesting topics covered in this meeting in her article about how gut bacteria could help promote healthy aging. We’ll be reporting on more great research from this conference shortly.

Our aim is to bring you, our readers, the most accurate, informative, and actionable health content, and — judging by your comments on our Facebook page — you like what we’re doing.

“Awesome info. Very interesting!” said one reader. “I read an excellent article on Mediterranean anemia [thalassemia], and it explains a lot things I didn’t know,” commented another.

However, our work is never done. We’re always looking for ways to improve our content, and your feedback is crucial in this process. Do you have some ideas you’d like to share? Please get in touch!

You can also keep up to date with the latest medical research by following us on Twitter.

I’ll be back next month with the latest updates on what’s happening at MNT.

From all of the team, we wish you a happy and healthful Halloween!

Honor Whiteman, Managing Editor

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